Dédəbonsagk Preserve

I know this might sound cheesy, but this 20-acre Royal River Conservation Trust preserve—which has a beautiful 3.5-acre meadow—seems to memorialize love. The name, pronounced deda-boon-sock, comes from a Penobscot word that translates to “they walk side by side.” And that is what the property owners who donated the land did here for decades! Plus, the preserve and its name speaks to a loving respect for the land.

The paths are flat and easy to follow, with sign posts or maps posted at intersections. You can do several small loops that connect the mown meadow paths to short legs along the adjacent power lines. A forested one-way path on the west side of the property brings you to a bluff overlooking an unnamed but pretty tributary stream.

The public paths leave the preserve and cross the donors’ land. The visitor trails are well marked, making it easy to respect the privacy of the land owners.

Directions: The trailhead is off Milliken Road, on the north side between Cluff Road and the railroad tracks. When I visited in fall 2025, you had to park by the side of the road, either at the roadside kiosk or just a few yards farther west, where another preserve path extends to the road. The street is not busy, so it feels safe to park.